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The Mayo team stand for the national anthem before their game with Tipperary. Donall Farmer/INPHO

Mayo call off 11 club games this weekend to aid All-Ireland football final preparations

The games will now take place in late September.

MAYO GAA CHIEFS last night announced that they have postponed 8 senior football games and 3 intermediate football matches in order to aid the county’s preparations for the All-Ireland senior football final on 18 September.

The final round of games in the four groups of the Mayo senior football championship involving 16 clubs had been penciled in for this weekend.

But they have now been deferred until the weekend of 24/25 September along with the intermediate club games involving Lee Keegan (Westport), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole) and Brian Reape (Bohola Moy Davitts).

An official statement released last night explained the decision:

“Following discussions since Mayo’s victory over Tipperary in last Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final, it has been decided to postpone next weekend’s round of Mayo SFC games.

“All IFC games will go ahead as scheduled except the following which involve members of the Mayo senior panel: Bohola Moy Davitts v Swinford; Westport v Shrule-Glencorrib; and Belmullet v Burrishoole.

“This has not been an easy decision for all concerned as we were faced with a Catch 22 situation. Everyone involved in Mayo GAA wishes to support the senior football team as effectively as we can in the run-up to September 18 – and, equally, everyone is fully aware of the impact a postponement at such late notice will have on club players and managements.

“However, after carefully considering the various issues involved, and acknowledging that there was no simple solution, we feel that the best interests of Mayo football will be served on this occasion by postponing the above games so that the team can prepare for the All-Ireland final.

“The primary reason for doing so is to allow the team the four weeks of preparation between now and the final so that they can represent all of us in optimum condition on September 18.

Stephen Rochfort Mayo manager Stephen Rochford Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO

“We hope all Mayo GAA people will understand the well-founded motivation for our decision and rally around the team for the next few weeks.

“It is proposed to now hold the next round of SFC games on the weekend after the All-Ireland final (Sept. 24/25th). The IFC games mentioned above will also go ahead on that weekend also.

“The quarter finals in both the SFC & IFC championship will go ahead on 1/2 October.”

Mayo’s representatives are due to be in action in the Connacht senior club football championship on 30 October.

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